The Biden administration will deport Venezuelan migrants found not to have a legal basis to remain in the U.S. back to Venezuela, senior administration officials announced Thursday on a call with reporters.
Venezuela agreed to accept the removals, but the administration officials dodged a question about if any concessions were offered in reaching a deal. The number of Venezuelans encountered crossing the southern border illegally made up roughly a fourth of the more than 200,000 total recorded encounters in September, according to CBS News.
The White House announced in September that it’s providing 242,700 an existing temporary protection designation in addition to roughly 472,000 Venezuelans expected to qualify for the new designation to receive work permits and stay in the U.S. without fear of removal.
Venezuelan migrants crossing illegally into Eagle Pass, Texas, in recent days told the Daily Caller News Foundation that they were fleeing conflict, corruption, threats and economic instability. Notably, they criticized the country’s socialist leader.
The Biden administration allows Venezuelans to enter the country under humanitarian parole and through the CBP One phone application. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Border Patrol Loosens Grooming, Tattoo Standards Amid Recruiting Crisis)
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
“Today the United States is announcing the resumption of removal to Venezuela. Starting today, Venezuelan nationals to cross our border unlawfully are processed and are not have a legal basis will be removed back to Venezuela,” a senior administration official said.
“We have already identified individuals in our custody today who will be removed probably in the coming days. All of these individuals have gone through our U.S. immigration system and have not been able to prove that they have a legal basis to remain in the United States,” a second senior administration official added.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting Mexico this week to address the issue of migration with Mexican counterparts.
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